The Nashville Predators were going to have to move one of their goalies.

For a while, going back to the 2022-23 season, it looked like it might be Juuse Saros, whose name was popping up in the rumour mill during the 2023 trade deadline. Last season wasn't Saros' best performance either, with a .906 save percentage and 2.86 GAA.

Still, the 29-year-old is a known commodity, usually one of the best in the league at his position, and led Nashville into the playoffs. Instead of moving him, GM Barry Trotz re-signed Saros to an eight-year extension this summer, leaving in question what the plan was for the next goalie in line.

Yaroslav Askarov, the 11th overall pick in 2020, has been regarded as one of the best netminders not in the NHL for some time now and finished with a .911 save percentage in back-to-back AHL seasons. After Saros' extension, trade rumours began around Askarov instead and, on a recent 32 Thoughts Podcast episode, Elliotte Friedman said the player let the Predators know he's ready for the next step in his development.

"I believe the one thing Askarov has indicated to both the Predators, and it's kind of been floating around league-wide, is that he doesn't want to go to the American Hockey League, he wants to play in the NHL next year," Friedman said. "So, I think there are some teams that are kind of looking at it like, 'If we want to acquire this guy, we better make sure we have space to play him,' because there's no point in acquiring him if he's going to be unhappy or he's going to be uncertain about his future."

The San Jose Sharks have all the opportunity to give Askarov as they continue in their rebuild, and made a bold move to acquire him on Friday. In giving up first-round prospect David Edstrom, Vegas' top-10 protected pick (both assets acquired in the Tomas Hertl trade last season), and Magnus Chrona, the Sharks are hoping they have found a key piece in their build: A No. 1 goaltender.

With more on the trade, we turn to our scout Jason Bukala.

SCOUT'S ANALYSIS

Trade rumours surrounding Nashville Predators top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov have been circling for a while after the goalie stated a wish to be traded and given an opportunity to play in the NHL this season. With the Preds locking up starting goalie Juuse Saros until the end of the 2032-33 season, Askarov’s path to an eventual starting role in Nashville was murky at best.

The San Jose Sharks are a rebuilding outfit that didn’t have a Grade A goalie prospect in their system until they made the trade Friday with Nashville to acquire Askarov. The cost to get him as their No. 1 goalie wasn’t cheap, however.

Here’s a look at the central pieces in the trade:

To Nashville: David Edstrom

Edstrom is an extremely useful prospect who can play up and down the lineup. He’s a big body centre (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) who provides a secondary layer of offence, takes key face-offs in all three zones, and has the pace and commitment to match up versus top opponents defensively.

Edstrom projects as a middle-six forward who could land on the second line in time. His size and length lead to extended plays in the trenches. He sets screens out front of the net and has the puck touch, and release, to play the bumper position on the power play.

Here are a couple of clips displaying what I’m describing in Edstrom:

NHL Projection: Middle six forward who can be deployed in all situations

NHL Arrival: 2025-26

To San Jose: Yaroslav Askarov

It’s my experience that goalie prospects, generally, aren’t ready for full-time NHL duty until their second contract cycle. They might get a taste of the net in their first three seasons, but usually goalies take longer to develop and adjust to the size, speed, and accuracy of the pro game. European goalies also have to adjust to the smaller ice surface in North America compared to the larger sheet they are used to playing on overseas. It takes time.

Askarov, however, is ready for the NHL. He’s proven it over the past two seasons developing at the AHL level with the Milwaukee Admirals. Askarov has played 92 regular season games in the minors, with a record of 56-29-6, a goals-against average of 2.54, and save percentage of .911.

Askarov gives shooters a different look in the crease. He’s a 6-foot-4 athletic goalie who catches with his right hand. It sounds like a small thing, but the majority of NHL shooters are used to staring down left-catching goalies.

Askarov has had a cup of coffee at the NHL level. He appeared in two games last season and performed very well (1.47GAA/.947 save percentage), but playing in San Jose will not be the same as stopping pucks behind a team like Nashville. He will be tested frequently, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts mentally to the challenge. He definitely has the physical tools to be a solid NHL starter for years to come.

Here are a few clips demonstrating Askarov’s quickness and competitiveness. He has fantastic low-net coverage and excellent gloves. He tracks very well.

NHL Projection: Starting 1A NHL goalie

NHL Arrival : This season

The Draft Capital

The fact the Predators also received a first-round pick in the trade, while giving up a third, speaks to how much San Jose values Askarov and projects his upside moving forward.

Consider the following:

• Askarov was selected 11^th overall in 2020.

• Edstrom was selected 32^nd overall by Vegas (later traded to the Sharks in the Tomas Hertl deal) in 2023.

• Nashville receives the Golden Knights' first-round selection (top ten protected) in 2025.

• San Jose receives a third-round selection (Colorado) in 2025.

Who won the trade?

Both teams did well in this trade, but the risk definitely lies in the hands of the San Jose Sharks.

Starting NHL goalies are expensive to acquire and Askarov hasn’t established himself yet at this level. Having said that, I believe the Sharks have acquired their goalie of the future.

Edstrom, in my opinion, has a bright NHL future ahead of him. He won’t move the needle offensively every night, but he will contribute in a variety of ways.

The future first round pick the Predators have acquired gives the organization the flexibility to add to their roster through trade or draft. Nashville did very well in this transaction.

It will be interesting to see how this trade pans out over the next three or four years. There’s a real chance Nashville comes out on top in the long run.

Analyzing the San Jose Sharks' big trade for Yaroslav Askarov

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